Over five million digital hits certainly sends a message. That’s what Los Angeles-based pop quintet Midnight Red garnered from their initial 2012 single “Hell Yeah.” It was a vibrant and celebratory party anthem whose accompanying video put the spotlight on the group’s accomplished dance moves. Their follow-up single “Take Me Home” is an equally strong slice of vocal confection that graced movie theaters nation-wide as part of Coca Cola’s summer promotion in partnership with iHeartRadio.
All in their early 20s, the geographically diverse group hailed from various points throughout the Southwest and West Coast, with unified goals to have success as singers and dancers. In 2009, after
“I think it’s pretty awesome that we can say we are label mates with her.”
relocating to California, the group called themselves Flyte and, via their manager, they were introduced to Peter Lopez. The famed entertainment attorney represented producer RedOne (Nadir Khayat), who has had success with megastars U2, Pitbull, Lady Gaga and J. Lo. He put the wheels in motion for them all to take a meeting. “Peter Lopez heard our music and really believed in us,” says vocalist Eric Secharia. “Because of him we met producer RedOne at Jim Henson Studios in Hollywood.” Midnight Red actually performed old-school by parking in the middle of the studio lot and blasting the music from one of their vehicles while they sang and danced sans microphones.
From that pivotal showcase RedOne signed them to a production/label deal with his 2101 Records imprint. The only other artist on the label was J. Lo. “I think it’s pretty awesome that we can say we are label mates with her,” says Secharia.
“The Capitol and 2101 people are very hands-on,” says Secharia. “We feel very comfortable with them and this is the best possible place for Midnight Red right now. We’re all pretty savvy, but this is still new to us. I think we’re gonna learn a lot more as time goes on.”
Midnight Red’s full-length release will drop sometime in early 2014.
– Eric A. Harabadian
